For most individuals, the holiday season means gift-giving to celebrate a variety of winter holidays. Most of these presents are wrapped in beautiful papers that are discarded to fill the hopper of a garbage truck. In recent years, concerns about sustainability have led to an increase in demand for environmentally responsible wrapping papers. It has come a long way from dull brown paper and is an excellent option to consider.

Environmentally responsible wrapping paper can come in a number of forms. The easiest types to be found are those recycled from other presents. If unwrapped carefully and saved, wrapping paper can be used again and kept out of the landfill. This has the added bonus of being more cost-effective than many commercial products available. Some enterprising gift givers like to use newspaper as wrapping paper, recycling the bright and colorful sections of the paper such as the comics, or travel features with beautiful photographs.

Some gift givers use fabric or cloth bags as wrapping paper, because they can be reused for other purposes. Especially when giving gifts to quilters and other textile artists, this type of environmentally responsible present wrapping will be greatly appreciated for its potential future uses. Fabrics and cloth bags come in a wide array of colors, and are suitable for all ages and life interests.

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Most companies sell environmentally responsible wrapping paper made from recycled products or sustainably harvested fibers such as bamboo. These wrapping papers tend to be more expensive, especially for the more attractive options, which might integrate dried flowers, leaves, or bright threads into the design of the paper. Recycled paper is usually identified and store employees are often happy to assist customers in selecting an environmentally responsible paper for presents of any size or shape.

Growing consumer consciousness about the effect of accumulated landfill material has resulted in a greater demand for environmentally responsible wrapping paper. Sustainable materials to wrap gifts with come in a wide range of colors, shapes, and sizes. In addition, consumers are encouraged to use sustainable ribbons as well, avoiding Mylar and other plastics that accumulate in landfills and cause injury to wild animals when discarded in the environment.

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